U.S. patent application number 13/021647 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-24 for remote operation system and method and remote control device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to HISAO MATSUMOTO.
Application Number | 20110287747 13/021647 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44972882 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110287747 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MATSUMOTO; HISAO |
November 24, 2011 |
REMOTE OPERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD AND REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE
Abstract
To provide a remote operation method which is safe and simple
for the user who does not have the enough operation knowledge on a
control object apparatus installed within a house through an
interactive interface. An in-house apparatus control unit has a
function of sending or receiving an electronic mail to or from a
portable telephone terminal and a function of making the other data
communication, in which the user of the portable telephone terminal
is authenticated safely according to the sender portable telephone
number of the electronic mail or the ID of the sender terminal of
data communication, and further an apparatus within the house is
controlled by automatically judging the control contents to be
requested from the contents of exchange of information with the
user in an interactive form using an electronic mail or an
application mounted on the portable telephone terminal.
Inventors: |
MATSUMOTO; HISAO; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
44972882 |
Appl. No.: |
13/021647 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/414.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 12/2818
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/414.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/12 20090101
H04W004/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 21, 2010 |
JP |
2010-117352 |
Claims
1. A remote operation system comprising: one or more network
connection supported apparatuses; an apparatus control unit having
an interactive operation interface function, comprising a control
part for controlling the network connection supported apparatus, a
processing part for sending and receiving a conversation sentence
by an electronic mail or the other data communication, and
controlling the network connection supported apparatus with the
control part, a synonym dictionary DB for storing one or more
synonyms fora control essential factor, and a control information
DB for storing one or more pieces of necessary information for
performing the control essential factor associated with the control
essential factor; and a terminal for communicating with the
apparatus control unit by the electronic mail or the other data
communication means; wherein the processing part receives the
electronic mail or the data communication including a sender
telephone number, a user ID or a sender terminal ID and a
conversation sentence describing a desired control essential factor
for controlling the network connection supported apparatus, from
the terminal; the processing part extracts the sender telephone
number, the user ID or the sender terminal ID from the received
electronic mail or data communication, and judges whether or not
the terminal or user is capable of operating the apparatus control
unit by comparing it with the sender telephone number, the user ID
or the sender terminal ID of the terminal or user that is
registered in advance and is capable of operating the apparatus
control unit; if it is judged that the terminal or user is capable
of operating the apparatus control unit, the processing part
classifies the received conversation sentence into the words by a
morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control essential
factor intended by the user from the classified words by referring
to the synonym dictionary DB; the processing part checks whether or
not the enough necessary information to perform the temporarily
decided control essential factor is received from the user by
referring to the control information DB; if the enough necessary
information to perform the temporarily decided control essential
factor is obtained, the processing part decides the control
contents prescribed by the temporarily decided control essential
factor and the necessary information; on the other hand, if the
enough necessary information to perform the temporarily decided
control essential factor is not obtained, the processing part
creates a conversation sentence for requesting the user to confirm
the temporarily decided control essential factor and insufficient
one or more pieces of necessary information, sends the conversation
sentence to the terminal, receives again a conversation sentence of
answer from the same terminal, receives the enough necessary
information to perform the temporarily decided control essential
factor, which is stored in the control information DB, and decides
the control contents prescribed by the temporarily decided control
essential factor and the necessary information; and the processing
part controls the network connection supported apparatus with the
control part in accordance with the decided control contents.
2. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein the
processing part sends a conversation sentence for confirming to
make the control in accordance with the control contents including
the control essential factor and the necessary information, if the
control essential factor is temporarily decided, and the processing
part, upon receiving a conversation sentence indicating that the
control contents are confirmed from the terminal, controls the
network connection apparatus in accordance with the control
contents.
3. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein if the
processing part confirms that the conversation sentence answered
from the terminal does not negate the temporary decision of the
control essential factor, the processing part further repeats the
following processing until there is no insufficient necessary
information, in which the processing part makes a language
processing for the answered conversation sentence to reconfirm that
there is the enough necessary information to perform the control
essential factor, and if the necessary information is yet
insufficient, the processing part sends a conversation sentence for
requesting the insufficient necessary information to the user.
4. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein the
processing part controls the network connection apparatus in
accordance with the control contents, and sends a conversation
sentence of the control result to the terminal.
5. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein the
processing part further comprises: a terminal determination part
for authenticating the terminal or user capable of operating the
network connection supported apparatus, a morpheme analysis part
for dividing the conversation sentence received from the terminal
into rows of morphemes, discriminating each word, by referring to
the synonym dictionary DB, absorbing a dispersion in the meaning of
words and converting them into the word that applies to the control
essential factor and/or the necessary information, a control
essential factor classification part for obtaining the control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and a
control information confirmation part for investigating the
necessary information corresponding to the obtained control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and
requesting the user to confirm the necessary information that is
not received, wherein the processing part judges the control
contents prescribed by the control essential factor intended by the
user and the necessary information.
6. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein the
in-house apparatus control unit further comprises a conversation
sentence receiving part and a response sentence sending part for
communicating the conversation sentence with the terminal by the
electronic mail or other data communication.
7. An apparatus control unit in a remote operation system
comprising: the apparatus control unit having an interactive
operation interface function; one or more network connection
supported apparatuses; and a terminal for communicating with the
apparatus control unit by the electronic mail or the other data
communication means, the apparatus control unit comprising: a
control part for controlling the network connection supported
apparatus, a processing part for sending and receiving a
conversation sentence by an electronic mail or the other data
communication, and controlling the network connection supported
apparatus with the control part, a synonym dictionary DB for
storing one or more synonyms for a control essential factor, and a
control information DB for storing one or more pieces of necessary
information for performing the control essential factor associated
with the control essential factor; wherein the processing part
receives the electronic mail or the data communication including a
sender telephone number, a user ID or a sender terminal ID and a
conversation sentence describing a desired control essential factor
for controlling the network connection supported apparatus, from
the terminal; the processing part extracts the sender telephone
number, the user ID or the sender terminal ID from the received
electronic mail or data communication, and judges whether or not
the terminal or user is capable of operating the apparatus control
unit by comparing it with the sender telephone number, the user ID
or the sender terminal ID of the terminal or user that is
registered in advance and is capable of operating the apparatus
control unit; if it is judged that the terminal or user is capable
of operating the apparatus control unit, the processing part
classifies the received conversation sentence into the words by a
morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control essential
factor intended by the user from the classified words by referring
to the synonym dictionary DB; the processing part checks whether or
not the enough necessary information to perform the temporarily
decided control essential factor is received from the user by
referring to the control information DB; if the enough necessary
information to perform the temporarily decided control essential
factor is obtained, the processing part decides the control
contents prescribed by the temporarily decided control essential
factor and the necessary information; on the other hand, if the
enough necessary information to perform the temporarily decided
control essential factor is not obtained, the processing part
creates a conversation sentence for requesting the user to confirm
the temporarily decided control essential factor and insufficient
one or more pieces of necessary information, sends the conversation
sentence to the terminal, receives again a conversation sentence of
answer from the same terminal, receives the enough necessary
information to perform the temporarily decided control essential
factor, which is stored in the control information DB, and decides
the control contents prescribed by the temporarily decided control
essential factor and the necessary information; and the processing
part controls the network connection supported apparatus with the
control part in accordance with the decided control contents.
8. A remote operation method by using a remote operation system
comprising: one or more network connection supported apparatuses;
an apparatus control unit having an interactive operation interface
function, comprising a control part for controlling the network
connection supported apparatus, a processing part for sending and
receiving a conversation sentence by an electronic mail or the
other data communication, and controlling the network connection
supported apparatus with the control part, a synonym dictionary DB
for storing one or more synonyms for a control essential factor,
and a control information DB for storing one or more pieces of
necessary information for performing the control essential factor
associated with the control essential factor; and a terminal for
communicating with the apparatus control unit by the electronic
mail or the other data communication means; wherein the processing
part receives the electronic mail or the data communication
including a sender telephone number, a user ID or a sender terminal
ID and a conversation sentence describing a desired control
essential factor for controlling the network connection supported
apparatus, from the terminal; the processing part extracts the
sender telephone number, the user ID or the sender terminal ID from
the received electronic mail or data communication, and judges
whether or not the terminal or user is capable of operating the
apparatus control unit by comparing it with the sender telephone
number, the user ID or the sender terminal ID of the terminal or
user that is registered in advance and is capable of operating the
apparatus control unit; if it is judged that the terminal or user
is capable of operating the apparatus control unit, the processing
part classifies the received conversation sentence into the words
by a morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control
essential factor intended by the user from the classified words by
referring to the synonym dictionary DB; the processing part checks
whether or not the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor is received from the
user by referring to the control information DB; if the enough
necessary information to perform the temporarily decided control
essential factor is obtained, the processing part decides the
control contents prescribed by the temporarily decided control
essential factor and the necessary information; on the other hand,
if the enough necessary information to perform the temporarily
decided control essential factor is not obtained, the processing
part creates a conversation sentence for requesting the user to
confirm the temporarily decided control essential factor and
insufficient one or more pieces of necessary information, sends the
conversation sentence to the terminal, receives again a
conversation sentence of answer from the same terminal, receives
the enough necessary information to perform the temporarily decided
control essential factor, which is stored in the control
information DB, and decides the control contents prescribed by the
temporarily decided control essential factor and the necessary
information; and the processing part controls the network
connection supported apparatus with the control part in accordance
with the decided control contents.
9. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein the
user sends or receives the conversation sentence for control with
the apparatus control unit by an electronic mail function of the
terminal or an application contained in the terminal.
10. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein a
personified maidservant, steward, or maid agent exists inside the
apparatus control unit to enable the user at the terminal to
converse with the apparatus control unit.
11. The apparatus control unit according to claim 7, wherein the
processing part sends a conversation sentence for confirming to
make the control in accordance with the control contents including
the control essential factor and the necessary information, if the
control essential factor is temporarily decided, and the processing
part, upon receiving a conversation sentence indicating that the
control contents are confirmed from the terminal, controls the
network connection apparatus in accordance with the control
contents.
12. The apparatus control unit according to claim 7, wherein if the
processing part confirms that the conversation sentence answered
from the terminal does not negate the temporary decision of the
control essential factor, the processing part further repeats the
following processing until there is no insufficient necessary
information, in which the processing part makes a language
processing for the answered conversation sentence to reconfirm that
there is the enough necessary information to perform the control
essential factor, and if the necessary information is yet
insufficient, the processing part sends a conversation sentence for
requesting the insufficient necessary information to the user.
13. The apparatus control unit according to claim 7, wherein the
processing part controls the network connection apparatus in
accordance with the control contents, and sends a conversation
sentence of the control result to the terminal.
14. The apparatus control unit according to claim 7, wherein the
processing part further comprises: a terminal determination part
for authenticating the terminal or user capable of operating the
network connection supported apparatus, a morpheme analysis part
for dividing the conversation sentence received from the terminal
into rows of morphemes, discriminating each word, by referring to
the synonym dictionary DB, absorbing a dispersion in the meaning of
words and converting them into the word that applies to the control
essential factor and/or the necessary information, a control
essential factor classification part for obtaining the control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and a
control information confirmation part for investigating the
necessary information corresponding to the obtained control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and
requesting the user to confirm the necessary information that is
not received, wherein the processing part judges the control
contents prescribed by the control essential factor intended by the
user and the necessary information.
15. The apparatus control unit according to claim 7, wherein the
in-house apparatus control unit further comprises a conversation
sentence receiving part and a response sentence sending part for
communicating the conversation sentence with the terminal by the
electronic mail or other data communication.
16. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein the
processing part sends a conversation sentence for confirming to
make the control in accordance with the control contents including
the control essential factor and the necessary information, if the
control essential factor is temporarily decided, and the processing
part, upon receiving a conversation sentence indicating that the
control contents are confirmed from the terminal, controls the
network connection apparatus in accordance with the control
contents.
17. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein if
the processing part confirms that the conversation sentence
answered from the terminal does not negate the temporary decision
of the control essential factor, the processing part further
repeats the following processing until there is no insufficient
necessary information, in which the processing part makes a
language processing for the answered conversation sentence to
reconfirm that there is the enough necessary information to perform
the control essential factor, and if the necessary information is
yet insufficient, the processing part sends a conversation sentence
for requesting the insufficient necessary information to the
user.
18. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein the
processing part controls the network connection apparatus in
accordance with the control contents, and sends a conversation
sentence of the control result to the terminal.
19. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein the
processing part further comprises: a terminal determination part
for authenticating the terminal or user capable of operating the
network connection supported apparatus, a morpheme analysis part
for dividing the conversation sentence received from the terminal
into rows of morphemes, discriminating each word, by referring to
the synonym dictionary DB, absorbing a dispersion in the meaning of
words and converting them into the word that applies to the control
essential factor and/or the necessary information, a control
essential factor classification part for obtaining the control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and a
control information confirmation part for investigating the
necessary information corresponding to the obtained control
essential factor by referring to the control information DB, and
requesting the user to confirm the necessary information that is
not received, wherein the processing part judges the control
contents prescribed by the control essential factor intended by the
user and the necessary information.
20. The remote operation method according to claim 8, wherein the
in-house apparatus control unit further comprises a conversation
sentence receiving part and a response sentence sending part for
communicating the conversation sentence with the terminal by the
electronic mail or other data communication.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese patent
application JP 2010-117352 filed on May 21, 2010, the content of
which is hereby incorporated by reference into this
application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a remote operation system
and method, and a remote control device, and more particularly to a
remote operation system and method, and a remote control device for
controlling a household electrical appliance, a gas utensil, or a
safety device that is installed within a house, using a portable
telephone terminal having a function of sending and receiving an
electronic mail or a function of other data communication.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, a household electrical appliance
(hereinafter referred to as a network household electrical
appliance), a gas water heater, and a security related apparatus
(hereinafter referred to as a network connection supported
apparatus) having a connection function to a network, and operable
via the network from a remote site have been developed. For
example, a user at a going-out destination can make access to
various kinds of network connection supported apparatus at a
private residence to make a recording reservation on a recorder, or
confirm the locking-up, using a portable telephone terminal
connectable to the internet.
[0006] In controlling these network connection supported
apparatuses, a technique for providing a system for making the
remote operation simply to cope with increasing number of control
object apparatuses or more complicated control object function,
using a portable telephone terminal having a data communication
function has been developed (e.g., refer to JP-A-2005-101839).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] However, with the prior arts, though the control is
simplified, it is actually presupposed that there is sufficient
operation knowledge on the control object apparatus, and the
operation is not simple for the users such as children or elderly
unfamiliar with the operation of the control object apparatus
itself.
[0008] In the light of the above-mentioned problems, an object of
the invention is to allow the user unfamiliar with the operation of
the apparatus or without necessary information to simply make the
remote operation of the apparatus by exchange of information in an
interactive form using an electronic mail from a portable telephone
terminal or an application mounted on the portable telephone
terminal.
[0009] In order to accomplish the above object, there is provided
an in-house apparatus control unit having a function of controlling
an apparatus within a house, and a function of sending and
receiving a short message or multi-media message (hereinafter
referred to as an electronic mail) to or from a portable telephone
terminal or making the other data communication, in which the user
of the portable telephone terminal is authenticated according to
the portable telephone number of the electronic mail of the sender
or the ID of the sender terminal of data communication, and
further, if it is judged that an instruction of controlling the
apparatus is received from the contents of exchange of information
with the user in an interactive form using the electronic mail or
an application mounted on the portable telephone terminal, the
apparatus is controlled according to the instruction.
[0010] According to the first solving means of the present
invention, there is provided
[0011] a remote operation system comprising:
[0012] one or more network connection supported apparatuses;
[0013] an apparatus control unit having an interactive operation
interface function, comprising a control part for controlling the
network connection supported apparatus, a processing part for
sending and receiving a conversation sentence by an electronic mail
or the other data communication, and controlling the network
connection supported apparatus with the control part, a synonym
dictionary DB for storing one or more synonyms for a control
essential factor, and a control information DB for storing one or
more pieces of necessary information for performing the control
essential factor associated with the control essential factor;
and
[0014] a terminal for communicating with the apparatus control unit
by the electronic mail or the other data communication means;
[0015] wherein
[0016] the processing part receives the electronic mail or the data
communication including a sender telephone number, a user ID or a
sender terminal ID and a conversation sentence describing a desired
control essential factor for controlling the network connection
supported apparatus, from the terminal;
[0017] the processing part extracts the sender telephone number,
the user ID or the sender terminal ID from the received electronic
mail or data communication, and judges whether or not the terminal
or user is capable of operating the apparatus control unit by
comparing it with the sender telephone number, the user ID or the
sender terminal ID of the terminal or user that is registered in
advance and is capable of operating the apparatus control unit;
[0018] if it is judged that the terminal or user is capable of
operating the apparatus control unit, the processing part
classifies the received conversation sentence into the words by a
morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control essential
factor intended by the user from the classified words by referring
to the synonym dictionary DB;
[0019] the processing part checks whether or not the enough
necessary information to perform the temporarily decided control
essential factor is received from the user by referring to the
control information DB;
[0020] if the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor is obtained, the
processing part decides the control contents prescribed by the
temporarily decided control essential factor and the necessary
information;
[0021] on the other hand, if the enough necessary information to
perform the temporarily decided control essential factor is not
obtained, the processing part creates a conversation sentence for
requesting the user to confirm the temporarily decided control
essential factor and insufficient one or more pieces of necessary
information, sends the conversation sentence to the terminal,
receives again a conversation sentence of answer from the same
terminal, receives the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor, which is stored in
the control information DB, and decides the control contents
prescribed by the temporarily decided control essential factor and
the necessary information; and
[0022] the processing part controls the network connection
supported apparatus with the control part in accordance with the
decided control contents.
[0023] According to the second solving means of the present
invention, there is provided an apparatus control unit in a remote
operation system comprising:
[0024] the apparatus control unit having an interactive operation
interface function;
[0025] one or more network connection supported apparatuses;
and
[0026] a terminal for communicating with the apparatus control unit
by the electronic mail or the other data communication means,
[0027] the apparatus control unit comprising:
[0028] a control part for controlling the network connection
supported apparatus,
[0029] a processing part for sending and receiving a conversation
sentence by an electronic mail or the other data communication, and
controlling the network connection supported apparatus with the
control part,
[0030] a synonym dictionary DB for storing one or more synonyms for
a control essential factor, and
[0031] a control information DB for storing one or more pieces of
necessary information for performing the control essential factor
associated with the control essential factor;
[0032] wherein
[0033] the processing part receives the electronic mail or the data
communication including a sender telephone number, a user ID or a
sender terminal ID and a conversation sentence describing a desired
control essential factor for controlling the network connection
supported apparatus, from the terminal;
[0034] the processing part extracts the sender telephone number,
the user ID or the sender terminal ID from the received electronic
mail or data communication, and judges whether or not the terminal
or user is capable of operating the apparatus control unit by
comparing it with the sender telephone number, the user ID or the
sender terminal ID of the terminal or user that is registered in
advance and is capable of operating the apparatus control unit;
[0035] if it is judged that the terminal or user is capable of
operating the apparatus control unit, the processing part
classifies the received conversation sentence into the words by a
morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control essential
factor intended by the user from the classified words by referring
to the synonym dictionary DB;
[0036] the processing part checks whether or not the enough
necessary information to perform the temporarily decided control
essential factor is received from the user by referring to the
control information DB;
[0037] if the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor is obtained, the
processing part decides the control contents prescribed by the
temporarily decided control essential factor and the necessary
information;
[0038] on the other hand, if the enough necessary information to
perform the temporarily decided control essential factor is not
obtained, the processing part creates a conversation sentence for
requesting the user to confirm the temporarily decided control
essential factor and insufficient one or more pieces of necessary
information, sends the conversation sentence to the terminal,
receives again a conversation sentence of answer from the same
terminal, receives the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor, which is stored in
the control information DB, and decides the control contents
prescribed by the temporarily decided control essential factor and
the necessary information; and
[0039] the processing part controls the network connection
supported apparatus with the control part in accordance with the
decided control contents.
[0040] According to the third solving means of the present
invention, there is provided
[0041] a remote operation method by using a remote operation system
comprising:
[0042] one or more network connection supported apparatuses;
[0043] an apparatus control unit having an interactive operation
interface function, comprising a control part for controlling the
network connection supported apparatus, a processing part for
sending and receiving a conversation sentence by an electronic mail
or the other data communication, and controlling the network
connection supported apparatus with the control part, a synonym
dictionary DB for storing one or more synonyms for a control
essential factor, and a control information DB for storing one or
more pieces of necessary information for performing the control
essential factor associated with the control essential factor;
and
[0044] a terminal for communicating with the apparatus control unit
by the electronic mail or the other data communication means;
[0045] wherein
[0046] the processing part receives the electronic mail or the data
communication including a sender telephone number, a user ID or a
sender terminal ID and a conversation sentence describing a desired
control essential factor for controlling the network connection
supported apparatus, from the terminal;
[0047] the processing part extracts the sender telephone number,
the user ID or the sender terminal ID from the received electronic
mail or data communication, and judges whether or not the terminal
or user is capable of operating the apparatus control unit by
comparing it with the sender telephone number, the user ID or the
sender terminal ID of the terminal or user that is registered in
advance and is capable of operating the apparatus control unit;
[0048] if it is judged that the terminal or user is capable of
operating the apparatus control unit, the processing part
classifies the received conversation sentence into the words by a
morpheme analysis, and temporarily decides the control essential
factor intended by the user from the classified words by referring
to the synonym dictionary DB;
[0049] the processing part checks whether or not the enough
necessary information to perform the temporarily decided control
essential factor is received from the user by referring to the
control information DB;
[0050] if the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor is obtained, the
processing part decides the control contents prescribed by the
temporarily decided control essential factor and the necessary
information;
[0051] on the other hand, if the enough necessary information to
perform the temporarily decided control essential factor is not
obtained, the processing part creates a conversation sentence for
requesting the user to confirm the temporarily decided control
essential factor and insufficient one or more pieces of necessary
information, sends the conversation sentence to the terminal,
receives again a conversation sentence of answer from the same
terminal, receives the enough necessary information to perform the
temporarily decided control essential factor, which is stored in
the control information DB, and decides the control contents
prescribed by the temporarily decided control essential factor and
the necessary information; and
[0052] the processing part controls the network connection
supported apparatus with the control part in accordance the decided
control contents.
[0053] With the invention, it is possible to make the user
authentication simply and safely by using an electronic mail
service or a data communication service of a portable telephone
entrepreneur with relatively lower possibility of illegal use such
as disguising, and further using the sender portable telephone
number or the sender ID of data communication for the apparatus
installed within the house. Also, the user unfamiliar with the
operation of the apparatus or without necessary information can
simply make the remote operation of the apparatus by exchange of
information in an interactive form using the electronic mail from
the portable telephone terminal, or the application mounted on the
portable telephone terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] FIG. 1 is a configuration view of a remote operation system
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0055] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing one example of
performing the remote control through an interactive interface
according to the embodiment.
[0056] FIG. 3A is a flowchart (1) showing one example of the
operation flow of a specific process in an in-house apparatus
control unit.
[0057] FIG. 3B is a flowchart (2) showing one example of the
operation flow of the specific process in the in-house apparatus
control unit.
[0058] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for a language processing function
in the in-house apparatus control unit.
[0059] FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a control information
DB according to the embodiment.
[0060] FIG. 6 is a sequence chart of performing the remote control
through the interactive interface.
[0061] FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a synonym dictionary
DB according to the embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0062] The present invention will be described below in connection
with the embodiments, but the following embodiments do not limit
the invention as defined in the claims, and all the combinations of
features as described in the embodiments are not requisite to
solving means of the invention.
[0063] FIG. 1 is a configuration view for explaining an overview of
a remote operation system according to an embodiment of the
invention. In FIG. 1, a portable telephone terminal 101
communicates with an in-house apparatus control unit 102 by an
electronic mail or other data communication means. The in-house
apparatus control unit 102 has a function of controlling a network
connection supported apparatus 103 within a house as well. Examples
of the network connection supported apparatus 103 may include a
network household electric appliance such as a TV or a recorder, a
bath, a door lock, a gas water heater, and a security related
apparatus.
[0064] Next, a process for controlling the apparatus 103 within the
house at the portable telephone terminal 101 will be described
below. First of all, the portable telephone terminal 101 makes an
inquiry to the in-house apparatus control unit 102 via a portable
telephone network. On this occasion, the in-house apparatus control
unit 102 judges whether the user of the portable telephone terminal
101 can operate the in-house apparatus control unit 102, using a
sender portable telephone number of electronic mail or a sender ID
of data communication, and only if the user of the portable
telephone terminal 101 can operate it, the following communication
is made, so that the user of the portable telephone terminal 101
can remotely operate the in-house apparatus control unit 102.
[0065] The user of the portable telephone terminal 101 capable of
remotely operating the in-house apparatus control unit 102 can
input a control information into the in-house apparatus control
unit 102 through conversation by exchange of information in an
interactive form sending or receiving an electronic mail, or using
an application mounted on the portable telephone terminal 101,
whereby the in-house apparatus control unit 102 can control the
apparatus 103 within the house, based on the inputted control
information.
[0066] Next, a process for the in-house apparatus control unit 102
through the conversation by exchange of information in an
interactive form sending or receiving the electronic mail or using
the application mounted on the portable telephone terminal 101,
which is made between the portable telephone terminal 101 and the
in-house apparatus control unit 102, will be outlined below.
[0067] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing one example of
communication between the portable telephone terminal 101 and the
in-house apparatus control unit 102 according to the embodiment.
Also, FIG. 6 is a sequence chart of performing the remote control
through the interactive interface. The reference numerals of FIGS.
2 and 6 correspond to each other.
[0068] In FIGS. 2 and 6, the user converses the outline of essence
of control with the in-house apparatus control unit 102 by an
electronic mail function of the portable telephone terminal 101 or
an application mounted on the portable telephone terminal 101. In
this example, with an image that there is a maidservant agent 201
personified within the in-house apparatus control unit 102, the
user can converse with the in-house apparatus control unit 102 with
more feeling of familiarity. The in-house apparatus control unit
102 makes a language processing for a conversation sentence 202
received by an electronic mail or other data communication means
from the user, as shown in FIG. 4 as will be described later, and
judges the essence intended by the user and the information
requiring confirmation. For example, in FIG. 2, the words of
"video" and "record" in the first conversation are extracted, and
from these words, it is judged that the user intends to record on a
recorder, whereby it is necessary that the information on the
recording time and recording channel are checked to perform the
control. Hence, the in-house apparatus control unit 102 sends a
response sentence 203 for making a confirmation of understanding
that there is a recording request with the recorder and a
confirmation of additional information necessary for control
execution to the portable telephone terminal 101. On the contrary,
the user sends an answer sentence 204 for the recording time and
recording channel. The in-house apparatus control unit 102 judges
the recording time and recording channel intended by the user by
making the language processing again, properly inferring a program
name from an electronic program guide information acquired in
advance, and sends again a response sentence 205 for making
confirmation to the user. In this way, the control contents are
finally decided by repeating an operation of confirming the
necessary information at the same time of investigating the control
contents intended by the user in the interactive form. The control
contents can be prescribed by the decided control essential factor,
or both the control essential factor and the necessary information.
And after the user confirms the control contents (206), the
in-house apparatus control unit 102 controls a predetermined
network connection supported apparatus 103 in accordance with the
control contents (207). Next, the in-house apparatus control unit
102 sends the control result to the user (208).
[0069] Next, the specific processing contents of the in-house
apparatus control unit 102 will be described below.
[0070] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for a language processing function
in the in-house apparatus control unit 102.
[0071] The in-house apparatus control unit 102 comprises a
processing part 400, a conversation sentence receiving part 401, a
synonym dictionary DB 404, a control information DB 407, a response
sentence sending part 408, and a control part 409. Also, the
processing part 400 has a terminal determination part 402, a
morpheme analysis part 403, a control essential factor
classification part 405, and a control information confirmation
part 406.
[0072] FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of the control
information DB 407.
[0073] The control information DB 407 stores necessary information
(required information) for performing the control essential factor,
associated with the control essential factor for controlling each
network connection supported apparatus.
[0074] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an example of the
synonym dictionary DB 404. The synonym dictionary DB 404 stores
synonyms for each control essential factor stored in the control
information DB 407. The synonym dictionary DB 404 may further store
synonyms for necessary information.
[0075] FIGS. 3A and 3B are flowcharts showing one example of the
operation flow of a specific process in the in-house apparatus
control unit 102.
[0076] First of all, if the conversation sentence receiving part
401 receives a conversation sentence from the portable telephone
terminal 101 (301), and the terminal determination part 402
extracts the sender telephone number or ID of the portable
telephone terminal 101 for the received conversation sentence
(302), and judges whether or not the user of the portable telephone
terminal 101 can operate the in-house apparatus control unit 102
(303). For example, the terminal determination part 402 can make
this judgment by pre-storing the operable sender telephone number
or ID of the portable telephone terminal 101, and comparing it with
the received sender telephone number or ID of the portable
telephone terminal 101. And if the terminal determination part 402
judges that the user of the portable telephone terminal 101 can
operate the in-house apparatus control unit 102 (Yes at 303), the
process is transferred to the morpheme analysis part 403. If the
terminal determination part 402 judges that the user of the
portable telephone terminal 101 can not operate the in-house
apparatus control unit 102 (No at 303), the process is once ended
there.
[0077] Next, the control essential factor classification part 405
temporarily decides the control essential factor intended by the
user from among the words classified into noun in the morpheme
analysis performed in the morpheme analysis part 403 by referring
the synonym dictionary DB 404, based on the conversation sentence
(304). (For example, if the noun in the sentence is "recorder", the
control essential factor is temporarily decided as "recorder
control", and if the noun in the sentence is "air-conditioner", the
control essential factor is temporarily decided as "air-conditioner
cooling and heating".) Further, the control information
confirmation part 406 checks whether or not there is enough
information to perform the temporarily decided control essential
factor by referring to the control information DB 407 (305). And if
there is enough information to perform it (Yes at 306), the
temporarily decided control essential factor is directly performed
and a response sentence for the control result is sent to the user
(312).
[0078] Also, the control information confirmation part 406 judges
that there is not enough information to perform the temporarily
decided control essential factor (No at 306), the response sentence
sending part 408 creates and sends a response sentence for
confirming the temporarily decided control essential factor and
insufficient information to the user (307). Thereafter, if the
conversation sentence receiving part 401 receives again an answer
sentence from the same user (308), it is confirmed that the answer
sentence does not negate the temporary decision of the control
essential factor (Yes at 309), and the control information
confirmation part 406 checks again whether or not there is enough
information to perform the control essential factor by further
making the language processing for this answer sentence (310).
Herein, if there is yet less information (No at 311), the response
sentence sending part 408 sends a response sentence for confirming
the insufficient information to the user (307), in which this cycle
is repeated until there is no insufficient information.
[0079] If the temporarily decided control essential factor is not
desired for the response sentence at step 307, the user sends an
answer sentence to the effect that the temporary decision does not
agree (308). If this answer sentence is received (No at 309), the
operation returns to step 305.
[0080] On the other hand, if there is enough information to perform
the temporarily decided control essential factor (Yes at 311), the
response sentence sending part 408 sends a response sentence for
the control contents (that can include the control essential factor
and the necessary information) to the user (312). If a confirmation
sentence indicating that the control contents are to be performed
is received from the user, the temporarily decided control
essential factor is directly performed, and a response sentence for
the control result is sent to the user. On the other hand, if the
confirmation sentence can not be received for a certain period of
time, or the confirmation sentence indicating that the control
contents are not to be performed is received, the process is ended.
In the confirmation sentence, "OK", "execute", "YES", "NO", or "Not
execute", for example, may be used. Also, the steps 312 and 313 may
be omitted.
[0081] Next, the language processing that is performed in creating
the response sentence from the contents of the conversation
sentence in the in-house apparatus control unit 102 will be
described below. First of all, the in-house apparatus control unit
102 receives a conversation sentence from the portable telephone
terminal 101, and judges that the conversation sentence is
originated from the user of the portable telephone terminal 101
capable of operating the in-house apparatus control unit 102, in
which this conversation sentence is divided into rows of morphemes
in the morpheme analysis part 403, and each part of speech is
discriminated. Also, the synonym dictionary DB 404 pre-stores a
list of synonyms for each word included in the control essential
factor (or both the control essential factor and the necessary
information) of the control information DB 407. And the morpheme
analysis part 403 absorbs dispersion in the meaning of words for
the classified morpheme in the synonym dictionary DB 404 and
converts them into the word suitable for later processing. (For
example, the nouns such as "video", "VIDEO" and "recorder" are
converted into "recorder".) Thereafter, the control essential
factor classification part 405 determines the control essential
factor of object by comparing the word converted in the morpheme
analysis part 403 with the control essential factor of the control
information DB 407. (For example, if the word of noun "recorder"
appears from the result of the morpheme analysis, the control
essential factor is determined as "recorder control". Also, if the
word of noun "air-conditioner" appears from the result of the
morpheme analysis, the control essential factor is determined as
"air-conditioner control".) Next, the control information
confirmation part 406 investigates the information necessary for
control from the control information DB 407, determines the known
information and the unknown information, and creates a response
sentence for requesting the user to confirm the unknown
information. (For example, in the case of "recorder control", the
information such as "start time", "channel name" or "program name"
is required, and if the information is unknown, the confirmation to
the user is required. Also, in the case of "air-conditioner
control", the information such as "which room?", "ON or OFF?", "if
ON, at what degree is the setting temperature?", and "at once or
timer setting?" is required, and if the information is unknown, the
confirmation to the user is required.) The user may send only the
control essential factor, or both the control essential factor and
the necessary information. Also, if the synonym dictionary DB 404
stores a synonym of necessary information, the processing part 400
can absorb dispersion in the meaning of words in the classified
morpheme for the necessary information and convert them into the
work suitable for later processing.
[0082] Through the above language processing, the essence intended
by the user and the information requiring confirmation can be
judged.
[0083] Though the sender telephone number or ID of the portable
telephone terminal is used for authentication of the terminal or
user in the above explanation, the proper identification
information such as user ID or terminal ID may be additionally
used. Also, besides the portable telephone terminal, the proper
wireless or wire terminal such as PDA or PC may be used. Further,
the apparatus not only within the house but also outside the house
can be controlled.
* * * * *